Caleb Nickerson
BRISTOL Oct. 28-29, 2017
The soggy weather did little to dampen the spirits of the hundreds of competitors that arrived in Bristol over the weekend for a spectacle of humans and dogs hurtling around a dirt racetrack.
The eighth annual Bristol Dryland Canadian Championship Dog Race is the creation of Timberland Tours owner Denis Rozon. He said that over the years attendance has been climbing steadily and this year’s race brought out close to 300 participants from across the United States and Canada.
The weekend was packed with many different events, with racers being pulled on carts, scooters and bikes by a single dog or team of up to eight. There was also a cani-cross category, which is essentially cross-country running while tied to a canine.
The action started on Saturday morning and didn’t let up until Sunday afternoon.
Rozon said that he usually schedules the more entertaining races with large teams of dogs in the afternoon, but had to move them to the morning because it was too warm.
“The dogs always come first,” he said, adding that most of the animals and their human counterparts are indifferent to racing in the rain.
Over 50 people huddled in the main building on Sunday afternoon for the awards ceremony, emceed by Daniel Richer. Bristol Mayor Brent Orr thanked everyone in attendance and took a turn handing out medals and trophies.
“On behalf of Denis and myself I just want to thank everyone for coming and participating,” he said. “I know the dogs love this weather but it’s so nice for the humans … It was so well done, keep it up.”
Bristol councillor Phillip Holmes sang the national anthems before the prizes were awarded.
Rozon is already planning for the next race he’s organizing, the second annual Pontiac Sled Dog and Skijoring Race.
“The snow race, the winter race, is coming the sixth and seventh of January,” he said, explaining that he expects far more people out for the second iteration. “This year’s going to be really big.”
Race results
Junior cani-cross: First – Alexi Fleury-Héroux,
second – Charles Bélanger, third – Charlie Fleury-Héroux
Men’s cani-cross: First – Yanick Vallières,
second – Rémi Smida, third – Dana Luck
Women’s cani-cross: First – Geneviève Baril,
second – Nova Clifford, third – Kimberly Murphy
One-dog scooter: First – Richard Kisseloff,
second – Karen Koehler, third – Rachael Colbath
Two-dog scooter: First – Louis Parent,
second – Niina Baum, third – Richard Kisseloff
One-dog bikejoring: First – Laurence Saucier,
second – Karen Koehler, third – Timothée Coulaux
Two-dog bikejoring: First- Albine Devinant,
second – Robin Gratton, third – Karen Koehler
Four-dog cart: First – Hannah March,
second – Kayla Broom, third – Albine Devinant
Six-dog cart: First – Jan Bootz-Dittmar,
second – Mike Marsch, third – Jocelyn Bradbury
Eight-dog cart: First – Jean Bouvier,
second – Charles-Antoine Saucier, third – Jean-René Saucier
